Electric block-signal.



No. 881,138. PATENTED MAR. 10, 1908.

E. P. MATTER.

ELECTRIC BLOCK SIGNAL.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 13, 1907.

Wu mun N T Hm I attozwur m: NORRIS PETEIes r:v WASHINGTON, D4 c.

No. 881,138. PATENTED MAR. 10, 1908.

E. P. MATTER.

ELECTRIC BLOCK SIGNAL.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 13, 1907.

2 SHEETFSHEET 2.

EDWARD P. MATTER, OF ALEXANDRIA, VIRGINIA.

ELE CTRIC B LO OK-SIGNAL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented March 10, 1908.

Application filed May 13, 1907. Serial No. 373,477.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD P. MATTER, citizen of the United States, residing at Alexandria, in the county of Alexandria and State of Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Block- Signals, of which the following is a specification.

This invention provides safety means for railways of novel formation and automatic in action, the means being of the variety generally designated as block system, the present invention contemplating signaling means upon the train so as to attract the attention of the engineer even though the track signal should go unheeded for any reason either through failure to operate or by being obstructed by fog or smoke.

The invention obviates the use of bonded rails or the use of a long or continuous third rail, thereby simplyfying and cheapening the construction and reducing the chances of short circuiting to a minimum.

For a full description of the invention and the merits thereof and also to acquire a knowledge of the details of construction -and the means for effecting the result, reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawings.

While the invention may be adapted to different forms and conditions by changes in the structure and minor details without departing from the spirit or essential features thereof, still the preferred embodiment is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatical view showing the several circuits. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a portion of a locomotive and track illustrating the application of the invention.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the views of the drawings by the same reference characters.

The invention contemplates track circuits and train circuits, the latter being upon the engine or other part of a train, and the former located at the station or point of a block. The track 1 is provided at intervals in its length with short rails 2 and 3 which are electrically insulated from the adjacent sections of rail of which they form a part. The opposite rail is grounded at points opposite to the short insulated rail sections 2 as indicated at 4 and 5. A short rail 6 is located in advance of the rail 2 and intermediate of the track rails and is adapted to be engaged by a brush or shoe 7 mounted upon the engine or other part of the train. An electro-magnet 8 is connected by wire 9 to the rail 2 and is connected by wire 10 to one pole of a battery 11, the opposite pole of said battery being grounded at 12 by means of wire 13. The electroemagnet 8 is included in a circuit which may be designated as the prlmary or setting circuit, since its purpose is to bring the working parts of the block signal into operative position as will appear more fully hereinafter. When the electromagnet 8 is energized, its armature 14 is attracted and the end of a lever 15 provided with said armature is drawn downward with the result that electric contacts 16 and 17 are brought into connection so as to close a circuit, whereby the signal is set and the train circuit established for a following train. The contact 16 is carried by the lever 15 which forms part of the circuit, a wire 18 connecting the lever 15 with one pole of a battery 19, the other pole of said battery being connected by wire 20 to an electromagnet 21 which latter is connected by wire 22 to post 23 included in the circuit and provided with contact 17. When the end of the lever 15 carrying the contact 16 is thrown upward, it is held elevated by means of a lever 24 engaging thereunder, a spring 25 normally tending to draw the free end of the lever 24 beneath the lever 15. So long as the contacts 16 and 17 are in engagement, the circuit including the magnet 21 is closed and said electro-magnet 21 is vitalized and attracts its armature 26, thereby holding the signal circuits closed or in operative position, said armature 26 being carried by a lever 27 which is provided with or adapted to operate contacts 28 and 29. The lever 27 is included in the signal circuit and is connected by wire 30 to the semaphore signal 31, a wire 32 connecting said semaphore signal with a contact 33, said signal circuit being closed by the contacts 28 and 33 making electrical connec tion when the armature 26 is attracted by the magnet 21. So long as the magnet 21 is vitalized, the signal 31 will indicate danger. The train circuit is grounded at one end at 34, a wire 35 connecting the contact 29 with the ground. A contact 36 cooperating with the contact 29 is connected by wire 37 to one pole of a battery 38 the other pole of said battery being connected by wire 39 to the short rail 6. Upon the engine is arranged the brush or shoe 7 arranged to make elec-.

trical connection with the rail 6, and an electro-magnet 40. A wire 41 connects the electro-magnet 40 with the brush or shoe 7 and a wire 42 connects said electro-magnet with a wheel of the truck.

When the electro-magnet 21 is vitalized and the contacts 29 and 36 electrically connected which happens when a block is occupied by a car or train passing over the short section of rail 2, a following train reaching the short rail 6 closes the train circuit and vitalizes the electro-magnet 40 with the re sult that the signal mechanism mounted upon the train is. brought into play, thereby apprising the engineer of impending danger. The signal upon the train may be either of the audible or visual type or both. As indicated, the visual signal consists of a lamp 43 and the audible signal of a bell 44, each being included in a separate circuit although this is not essential. The circuit including the visual signal comprises battery 45, one pole being connected by wire 46 to the signal and the other pole being connected by wire 47 to contact 48. A contact 49 is connected by wire 50 to the lamp or signal 43. When the magnet 40 is energized and its armature 5'1 attracted, the contacts 48 and 49 are brought together and the signal circuit closed. The audible signal includes battery 52, one pole of which is connected by wire 53 to contact 54 and the other pole being connected by wire 55 to the signal 44, a wire 56 connecting said signal to lever 57 which is provided with contact 58, said lever also carrying the armature 51. When the magnet is energized, the contacts 58 and 54 are electrically con- 40 nected, thereby closing the signal circuit in cluding the audible signal 44.

The resetting circuit for restoring the parts to normal position includes an electro-magnet 59 whose armature60 is carried by the lever 24. One terminal of the helix of electro-magnet 59 is connected by wire 61 to the short section of rail 3 and the other terminal is connected by wire 62 to one pole of the battery 11, the other pole of said battery being grounded at 12 by wire 13'. The Wire 62 is connected to the wire 10. As the train leaves the block, it completes the resetting circuit through the wheels and aXle of a truck, one wheel being in contact with the rail 3 and the opposite wheel in contact with the rail which is grounded at 5. As the train leaves or passes from the block, the resetting circuit is completed and the electro-magnet 59 vitalized, thereby releasing lever 15 which moves so as to effect separation of the electric contacts 16 and 17, whereby the circuit through the electro-magnet 21 is broken and the signal and train circuits broken at 28, 33 and 2936. The track comprised between 55 the short rails 2 and 3 corresponds toablock and so long as the block is occupied, a train upon the next succeeding block when reaching the shortrail 6 receives warning of the occupancy of the preceding block by means of the signal mechanism carried thereby. A train entering a block and passing over the short rail 2 completes the prlmary or setting circuit in the manner herein stated and energizes the electro-magnet 8 which in turn attracts the armature 14 and closes the operating circuit including electro-magnet 21, the latter attracting its armature 26, closes the signal and train circuits. A train following the train occupying a block when reaching the short rail 6 completes the train circuit and brings the signal mechanism mounted thereon into operation. As the train occupying the block clears the same, it closes the resetting circuit by vitalizing the electro-magnet 59 which attracts its armature 60, thereby releasing lever 15 which moves so as to break the primary or setting circuit at the contacts 16 and 17.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is: 9 1. In a railway signal, the combination of a track circuit including a short length of rail forming a part of the main track and electrically insulated, an electro-magnet included in said track circuit, an operating circuit adapted to be closed by the electro-magnet of the track circuit when energized, said operating circuit including an electro-magnet, and a train and signal circuits adapted to be closed or brought into working condition when the operating circuit is closed, whereby a track signal may indicate danger and the train circuit adapted to bring into operation the signal mechanism upon a train.

2. In railway signal appliances, the combination of a primary circuit including an electro-magnet, a shortlength of rail in the main track insulated therefrom and included in said primary circuit, the latter adapted to be closed by means of a train passing over the said short length of rail, an operating circuit including an electro-magnet and adapted to be closed by the primary circuit when established, a train circuit, and a signal circuit both adapted to be brought into working position upon energizing the electro-magnet of the operating circuit, a short length of rail forming a terminal of the train circuit, and a brush or shoe carried by the train and forming a cooperating terminal of said train circuit, an electro-magnet arranged in the train circuit, and an electrically operated signal mounted upon the train and adapted to be actuated upon closing of the train circuit when the block immediately preceding is 00- 5 cupied.

3. In railway signal appliances, the combination of a primary, an operating, a train and a resetting circuit, each of the several circuits including an electro-magnet and circuit olos-v ing contacts, the primary and resetting circuits being grounded through a rail of the track and each including a short section of rail forming a part of the main track and elec trically insulated therefrom, the primary circuit when closed serving to close the operating circuit, lock means for holding said operating circuit in closed position, a short length of rail independent of the main track and included in the train circuit, and a brush or shoe cooperating therewith and mounted upon the train to close the train circuit when the operating circuit is closed, and an electrically operated signal mounted upon the train and brought into operation when the train circuit is closed, the lock means for holding the operating circuit closed adapted to be moved upon closing of the resetting circuit as the train leaves the block, thereby permitting the operating circuit to become broken and interrupt the signal and train circuits. 4. In railway signal apparatus, the combination of short sections of the main rail electrically insulated, primary and resetting circuits including the respective insulated rail sections, electro-magnets in both of said circuits, an operating circuit adapted to be closed upon the establishment of the primary circuit, and lock means for holding the operating circuit closed and adapted to be released to permit automatic breaking of said operat- &

ing circuit when the resetting circuit is closed as the train leaves the block or passes over the short section of insulated rail included in the resetting circuit.

5. In railway signal apparatus, the combination of an electrically operated signal mounted upon the train, a train circuit including an electro-magnet arranged to close the circuit of the said electrically operated signal, a brush or shoe mounted upon the train and forming a terminal of the train circuit, a short section of rail applied to the track and forming a cooperating terminal of said train circuit, an operating circuit including an electro-magnet for bringing the train circuit into operative position, a track circuit including an electro-magnet arranged to close the operating circuit, lock means for holding the operating circuit closed, and a resetting circuit including an electro-magnet for effecting the release of said locking means, both the track and resetting circuits including a short section of main rail electrically insulated from the track.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

EDWARD P. MATTER. 

